Feed-pump attachment for fire-engines.



No. 683,328. Patented Sept. 24, I90l. F. N; BAGGIO.

FEED PUMP ATTACHMENT FUR FIRE ENGINES.

(Application filed Jan. 23, 1901.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES I NORRIS Para co. Pnmourum. w

UNITED: STATES Y PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK N. RAGGIO, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FEED -PUMP ATTACHMENT FOR FIRE-ENGINES.

SIPEGIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,328, dated September 24, 1901. Application filed January 23, 1901. $erial No. 4:4 469. (No model.)

T0 to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK N. RAG'GI'O, of Louisville, in the county of Jeiferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Pump Attachments for Steam Fire-Engines; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an attachment for use in connection with steam fire-engines. As is well known, steam fire-engines are provided with a water-circulating coil within the firechamber, which is subjected to the direct action of the heat and in which a forced circulation of water is maintained by means of a small pump operated from the engine. When the engine is in the house, the coil is emptied, it being desirable to keep it as dry as possible, as this enables it to become hot more rapidly,andconsequentlyproduce steam more quickly when the water is injected therein. When the coil is emptied, the inlet-valve of the pump is closed and kept closed until the engine leaves the house, at which time it is the business of the engineer to open this valve and start the pump. It frequently happens, however, that in the excitement of getting out the engineer fails to open the supply-valve to the heating-coil and starts the pump leaving the valve closed, and consequently the coil receives no water and is burned out at a time when the engine is most needed and causing a great deal of expense in repairing same.

The object of my invention is to prevent the burning out o f the water-heating coil by providing a device by which the operation of the water-circulating pump is prevented until the valve which connects said coil with said pump is opened.

By means of my invention it will be impossible for the engineer tostart the pump until the coil-valve is opened, because the pump is locked when such valve is closed and cannot be started in operation until this valve is opened.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a simple form of the attachment and shall ekplain the invention with reference thereto; but I do not limit myself to the particular constructions herein shown and described, and in the said drawings Figure l is a conventional illustration, in

side elevation, of a fire-engine with my inven- The engine-boiler A is of ordinary construction and is provided with a water-circulating pump, also of ordinary construction, having an upper steam-cylinder B and a lower pump-cylinder B, the pistons of which are connected to an intermediate shaft 0, which is provided with a fly-wheel D. The pump-cylinder connects with the water-space of the boiler by means of a suitable pipe E and is also connected by a pipe E with the heating-coil F, which is arranged within the fire-chamber of the engine and is subjected to great heat. A valve G is interposed in pipe E between the pump andthe waterspace, and this valve has a stem g, which is provided with a hand-wheel or ring g near the valve, and for convenience this stem is extended back to the rear of the engine and provided with a second hand-wheel 9 so that it can be easily operated from the back of the machine while the engine is on the road. The parts thus far described are all of ordinary construction, and I utilize the wheel 9' as part of my invention it its periphery is smooth. If not, I can substitute therefor a smooth-surfaced wheel or projection.

I attach to the valve-chest of the lower pump-cylinder B a plate H by means of screws or suitable bolts. This plate is provided with a vertical socket h, in which is placed a bolt I, which has a tooth '1; on its upper end adapted to engage a notch din the periphery of fly-wheel D of the pump, and when so engaged the pump will be absolutely locked. A spring J is placed in socket and spring J will be kept under compression, so that so long as the valve is closed the pump cannot be operated. In order to start the pump, therefore, where this device is used, it is first necessary that the valve shall be opened, and in opening the valve the wheel g is moved away from the arm K until when the valve is fully opened the wheel g is entirely removed from the arm, and the latter being no longer upheld permits spring J to throw bolt I downward out of engagement with flywheel D, thus releasing the pump;

The arm K may be adjustably attached to the shank of the bolt I and be secured thereto in the proper position, to which it may be adjusted by means of a bolt 70'.

When this attachment is employed, it will be impossible for the engineer to start the pump until the valve is opened, so that burn' ing out of the heating-coil will be prevented.

' While the device I have described is very simple and efficient and perfectly adapted to the form of engine shown in the drawings, it is obvious that in applying the invention to other forms of machines the exact embodiment thereof may be varied within the scope of my invention. I therefore do not limit myself to the precise form herein shown and described.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with the heating-coil and water-circulating pump and avalve for closing communication between the pump and the coil; of a device substantially as described whereby the pump is locked when the valve is closed, and is released when the valve is opened.

2. The combination with a pump, a watercirculating coil and a valve for regulating 1 communication between the pump and the coil of a bolt adapted to lock the pump when 1 the valve is closed, said bolt being held in locking position by a projection on the valvestem when the valve is closed and released when the valve is opened.

8. The combination of the heating-coil and water-circulating pump, a pipe connecting said pump and coil and a valve in said pipe; with a bolt for locking the pump, a spring for holding said bolt in unlocking position and a projection on the valve-stem adapted to hold said bolt in looking position when the valve is closed, for-the purpose and substantially as described.

4. The combination of the pump, the heating-coil, the pipe connecting the pump with the heating-coil, and the valve in said pipe with a bolt adapted to engage and lock the pump, and an arm on the lower end of said bolt adapted to rest upon the valve-stem so as to hold the bolt in engagement with the pump when the valve is closed, for the pur-' pose and substantially as described.

5. The combinationof the pump, the heating-coil, the pipe connecting the pump with the heating-coil, the valve in said pipe provided with a wheel or ring on its stem; with a bolt adapted to engagewith the pump flywheel and lock the latter, an arm on thelower end of said bolt adapted to rest upon the ring j on the valve-stem and hold the bolt in looking engagement with the flywheel when the valve is closed, and a spring for disengaging said bolt from the fly-wheel when the valve is opened, for the purpose and substantially 5 as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownl aflix my signature in presence of 1 two witnesses. I

FRANK N. RAGGIO.

Witnesses:

J. M. OHATTERSON,

JAMEs ANDERSON. 

